From a Cradle to a Grave

Chapter 30

Hayley's Pov

"Who knew you knew how to pick out dresses?" I say to Klaus in a teasing voice.

"You'd be surprised how many skills you can pick up when you've been alive for a thousand years."

"Do you think she liked it? You didn't add our names or anything, did you?"

"No, just a note with her name on it."

That was a conversation from weeks ago. Freya told us about some ball that was happening at the school, and we just couldn't help ourselves from sending Hope a small gift.

And now, we are sitting at the Three Broomsticks, our hearts beating at in inhuman speed in anticipation for what is to come.

We're finally getting to meet Hope today.

"So- So Freya told Hope that we're... Wolves? Like her? That's our whole cover story?" I ask.

"Yes, and then with time, we'll slowly ease into telling her that we are her birth parents," Klaus replies.

I feel her enter before I even lay my eyes on her. My heart literally skips a beat at the sight of her auburn hair and bright blue eyes.

"Hi," she says, walking over to our table. "You're Klaus and Hayley?"

I nod, digging my nails into the palms of my hands to hold in the excitement.

"Hope," she extends her hand forward. "Hope Weasley."

Klaus shakes it, and Hope sits down in front of us.

"Professor Mikaelson told me that you're both werewolves who were born with the gene," Hope begins. "Is that right?"

I notice that she hasn't even glanced my way. She's keeping her eyes trained on Klaus, instead.

"Yes," I say, hoping that this will get her to look at me. It doesn't. "We come from a long line of werewolves. I'm from the Labonair family, have you heard of it?"

"Doesn't sound familiar," Hope replies.

There are a few seconds of awkward silence.

"How did you activate it?" Hope suddenly asks.

This is actually the question Klaus and I were going to ask her, which is why we're both taken by surprise.

"You... You have to be responsible for a person's death for the gene to activate. When I was a teenager, I ran somebody over with a car," I answer, then glance at Klaus, wondering how he's going to reply to her question. He's going to have to lie, obviously. He can't very well tell her that his gene was triggered when he went on an uncontrollable killing spree when his psychotic parents turned him into a vampire.

"Same story. I ran somebody over with a car," Klaus says hastily.

Hope raises an eyebrow, and gives a small nod. "And you can both control your wolf side?"

I lift my hand up, and let my claws elongate. "Absolutely."

"And it doesn't bother you? When things are especially loud, for example, and you hear the deafening noise better than anyone?" she asks me, finally looking my way. Her gaze softens when her eyes meet mine, and a smile appears on my face.

"There are ways to tone it out, to focus on the specific sounds you want to hear," Klaus says.

"I was asking her, not you," Hope replies bluntly.

Another awkward silence.

"I'm sorry," Hope says, inhaling and exhaling slowly. "I've just... Had a lot on my mind lately. I shouldn't have snapped at you."